Like many of you, with less than a week before Thanksgiving, I am busy with last minute shopping and baking before the big feast! And, let’s face it many of you will be purchasing a can of cranberry sauce to accompany your meal, only out of tradition. Believe it or not, I never even knew canned cranberry sauce existed until…
Year: 2018
Pumpkin Rolls
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, holiday baking is in full swing, and it always starts off with making pumpkin rolls for the whole family! Pumpkin rolls are a great make-ahead dessert, that store very well in the freezer. I always use the large can of pure pumpkin puree, which will yield 5 pumpkin rolls–enough to send one home…
Apple Crisp / Apple Pie
Now that we’re well into Autumn, and in the midst of apple-picking season, I thought it appropriate to share the story of my Apple Crisp recipe which started out as Good ‘Ole American Apple Pie years ago, and transformed into my award-winning signature dish, the one most often requested by family and friends alike. A couple of decades ago, my…
Blueberry Lemon Donuts
If you asked me for an ingredient I couldn’t live without, the first one that comes to mind is lemon. Lemons add incredible flavor and brightness to both sweet and savory dishes, so I always have them on hand. I use both the juice and the zest to brighten up chicken dishes, sautéed greens, and summer pasta salads. Likewise, lemons…
Pesto Pasta Caprese
Hearty and flavorful pasta dish made with homemade Fresh Basil Pesto! A great side dish or main course that goes together in 15 minutes! Print Yum Pesto Pasta Caprese Prep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 15 minutes Yield: about 8 cups Serving Size: 3/4 to 1 cup Ingredients1# dry pasta cooked al dente (radiatori, cavatappi, penne) 1 C…
Fresh Basil Pesto
One of my favorite things about summer is growing fresh herbs right outside my door to be cut and picked as I need them for everyday meals. I tend to keep it simple with the basics of parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives and of course basil! I add fresh herbs to nearly every dish, whether for breakfast, lunch or…
Blueberry Cheese Danish
My Blueberry Cheese Danish is also known as the dessert that made me Mrs. Ricketts 22 years ago, and continues to serve as a reminder that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. This tasty dessert looks more difficult to make than it is, but no one really needs to know that! Simple ingredients combined with love…
Rib/Pork Rub
It’s the first weekend in May and I think Spring has finally arrived for good in northeast Ohio! Just last weekend we had snowflakes, and today’s sunny skies will get us to the perfect ambient temperature of 72° F. Ideal weather for all outdoor activities, including smoking ribs on my new smoker! I’ll actually do the smoking tomorrow, but today…
Chicken & Dumplings
Homemade Chicken & Dumplings is the epitome of hearty home-style cooking, and is requested often in my house! I enjoy roasting my own chicken and making homemade stock, which fills the house with a heavenly aroma of loving goodness, and I can pretty much guarantee a visit from one (or more) of the kids. Yes, this empty-nester shamelessly allures…
Roasted Chicken & Chicken Stock
With most supermarkets offering ready-made roasted chicken these days, you may ask yourself, why roast my own chicken? Trust me, sometimes those super market shortcuts are great, especially when you get a text or phone call from your beloveds, feeling under the weather and in dire need of momma’s homemade chicken soup! However, the store-bought birds tend to be dry…